Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke #12 during their game against the Brewers at Dodger Stadium August 15, 2014 in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht/Los Angeles Daily News)

Zack Greinke’s right elbow isn’t 100 percent healthy. By his own admission, that probably won’t change before this season ends.

For now, the only consequence is that the Dodgers will push back Greinke’s next start to Saturday against the New York Mets. He was scheduled to pitch today against the San Diego Padres, but Clayton Kershaw will start instead on four days’ rest.

Greinke doesn’t expect to need time on the disabled list, but the idea of an elbow injury hitting the Dodgers’ second-best — and second-highest paid — pitcher is never good.

“More than likely if something happens, it shouldn’t be anything serious,” Greinke said. “There’s different levels of seriousness, but it shouldn’t be something to where I’m missing extended amounts of time.”

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said that Greinke resisted the decision to postpone his start “a little.” The 30-year-old pitcher hasn’t missed a start since March. After his last outing, a scoreless six-inning effort Saturday, Greinke said his elbow felt “fine” for the first time in at least a month.

But elbow injuries are a natural cause for concern. If a ligament snaps, a pitcher’s season is over. If a ligament snaps in August, his 2015 season is likely over, too.

“We’re better off giving him a couple extra days for the long term,” Mattingly said.

Somewhat ambiguously, the manager said that an MRI on Greinke’s elbow two weeks ago “didn’t show anything different than when we first signed him.” That choice of words covers the possibility of a pre-existing elbow injury.

Greinke said he didn’t want to delve into any specifics about his medical history.

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The Dodgers signed Greinke to a six-year, $159 million contract in December 2012. At the time, it was the largest contract for a right-handed pitcher in history. All contracts are calculated risks. With Greinke, who was 106-82 with a 3.65 ERA when he signed, the upside was clear even if his medicals weren’t.

Greinke is 12-8 with a 2.75 earned-run average this season. He’s faced the Padres once this season, during the first week of April, and allowed two runs in five innings. This will be his first start against the New York Mets since May 22, when he picked up a no-decision after allowing one earned run in five innings.

Kershaw hasn’t had many truly bad starts this year, but his only start against the Padres was one of his best. On July 10 at Dodger Stadium, he allowed three hits and one run in nine innings, striking out 11. That one run — a home run by Chase Headley in the sixth inning — ended his streak of scoreless innings at 41.

Leading off

On a rare day off for both Dee Gordon and Carl Crawford, second baseman Darwin Barney was penciled into the leadoff slot for the first time since July 19, 2013, when he played for the Chicago Cubs.

There were other candidates to fill the void. Yasiel Puig has led off seven times this season. Justin Turner has led off three times. But Puig batted second and Turner sixth because Mattingly wanted to keep the lineup intact.

Barney is the sixth different player to bat leadoff for the Dodgers this season.

Injury updates

Hyun-Jin Ryu won’t need a rehab start before he returns to game action, Mattingly said, but there is still no timetable for the pitcher to begin throwing off a mound.

Ryu, who strained his right gluteus medius muscle Aug. 13, continued his submaximal throwing program Wednesday. In other words, he played catch with head athletic trainer Stan Conte.

Chris Perez (right ankle) will make his second rehab start for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga on Friday. After a couple days’ rest, Perez said he will try to pitch two innings out of the bullpen for Rancho Cucamonga.

Also

Registration for the first-ever Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation 5K run is now open online at www.dodgers.com/5K. The 5K Run begins at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 21. A “Kids’ Fun Run” for children 12 and under will take place at 10 a.m. on the Dodger Stadium warning track. Registration is $40 for adults, $25 for kids, with all proceeds going toward LADF programs for underserved youth in the areas of sports, education and health.